Indian Charlie colt tops Fasig-Tipton sale at $600,000

Fasig-Tipton expanded the sale from one day to two this year to accommodate a 600-horse catalog, as compared with last year’s 405 horses. The two sessions grossed $16,211,100 for 343 juveniles, up 24 percent from last year’s one-day total of $13,099,500 for 273 horses. Despite the additional horses, this year’s average price was $47,263, down slightly from last season’s $47,984, though median fell farther, dropping 7 percent from $27,000 to $25,000. The two-day buyback rate was 18 percent. In 2010, the buyback rate was 13 percent.

The EQB agency bought the sale-topping Indian Charlie colt out of Bally Storm, by Summer Squall. Becky Thomas’s Sequel Bloodstock agency sold the colt, who had worked an eighth-mile in the auction preview’s second-fastest time of 10.2 seconds. Offered as Hip No. 492, the colt is from the family of Grade 2 winner Yarrow Brae.

Monday’s session-topper, and the auction’s highest-priced filly, was a $390,000 Malibu Moon filly who is a half-sister to champion turf horse Paradise Creek, Forbidden Apple, Wild Event, and Paradise River, dam of English champion David Junior. Bob Baffert bought her from Bridlewood Farm’s agency.